Bio sketch: Noemi Lois, MD, PhD, FRCS(Ed), FRCOphth

Noemi Lois is a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Queens University and an Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist and Vitreoretinal Surgeon at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. 

After finishing her training in Ophthalmology she completed clinical fellowships in 1) Ocular Oncology at Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, with Drs Jerry and Carol Shields, 2) Medical Retina at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, with Prof Alan Bird, and 3) Vitreoretinal Surgery at The Royal Liverpool University Hospital with Prof David Wong.  Noemi then moved to Aberdeen, Scotland, where she worked as full time Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon for 13 years.

Noemi joined Queens University in 2013 where she has been leading a programme of preclinical and clinical research focused on diabetic retinopathy and its complications.  This programme of research extends from pathogenic mechanisms of disease and risk stratification to new therapies, including determining the most cost-effective therapeutic alternatives for this disease.  Other research interests include retinal vein occlusion, vitreoretinal surgery and Stargardt disease. 

Noemi is Chief Investigator of two large multicentre trials funded by NIHR-HTA, EMERALD (Effectiveness of Multimodal imaging for the Evaluation of Retinal oedema And New vesseLs in Diabetic retinopathy) and DIAMONDS (Diabetic Macular Oedema aNd Diode Subthreshold micropulse laser), and co-lead of the EU H2020 funded RECOGNISED (Retinal and cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetes: unraveling the common pathways and identification of patients at risk of dementia).

Noemi has published over 150 articles in peer review journals [Scopus h-index (September 2023) = 45)], 13 book chapters and is editor of 3 textbooks, one on its second edition. Noemi is ad-hoc referee for numerous peer-review journals and funding bodies and has given numerous lectures as guest speaker at national and international meetings in China, Denmark, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, USA and the UK.  Noemi is editorial board member for several journals including the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group and has participated, as a member of the Evidence Review Group, in 10 Single Technology Appraisals for the UK National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on new therapies for eye diseases.